Pence-Harris debate puts vice presidential candidates in spotlight

October 5, 2020 Amber Coakley US 0

Preparations take place for the vice presidential debate outside Kingsbury Hall at the University of Utah, Monday, Oct. 5, 2020, in Salt Lake City. The vice presidential debate between Vice President Mike Pence and Democratic vice presidential candidate, Sen. Kamala Harris, D-Calif., is scheduled for Oct. 7. (AP Photo/Patrick Semansky)

OAN Newsroom
UPDATED 2:01 PM PT – Monday, October 5, 2020

With the first presidential debate between President Trump and Joe Biden in the rear view mirror, Mike Pence and Sen. Kamala Harris will now square off in the vice presidential debate.

Face-offs between vice presidential candidates are often seen as having little weight, but this time it holds huge implications. Pence has been forced to step into full campaign mode with President Trump stepping away from the trail as he recovers from COVID-19.

On Sunday, senior adviser to the campaign Jason Miller spoke on NBC’s “Meet the Press” to discuss Operation MAGA, which is a new strategy to send high profile surrogates and coalitions across the country until the President returns to the campaign trail.

“Vice President Pence, following the debate for the vice presidential candidates on Wednesday, he’ll be hitting the trail,” said Miller. “… in Arizona, probably be in Nevada, he’ll be back here in D.C.and he’s going to have a very full, aggressive schedule as will the first family.”

Kingsbury Hall is lit. #UofUvpDebate #Debates2020 pic.twitter.com/zQKzwNUm48

— University of Utah (@UUtah) October 4, 2020

Pence could use the debate to showcase how prepared and ready he is to step in as president. It also forces Harris to turn up the heat.

With the possibility of cancellation of the last remaining presidential debates, the vice presidential debate could be the only contest left for Americans to watch this election cycle.

The debate will be moderated by Susan Page of USA Today on Wednesday night at the University of Utah in Salt Lake City with less than a month until Election Day.